Automatic incinerating urinal

ABSTRACT

A waterless urinal comprised of a bowl having a drain which opens into an insulated electric incinerator having a pan in the bottom thereof and switch means actuated by use of the urinal for activating the heater of the urinal for a period of time.

United States Patent 1 51 Mar. 21, 1972 Blankenship [54] AUTOMATIC INCINERATING URINAL [72] lnventor: Ernest Bayne Blankenship, PO, Box

35164, Irving, Tex. 75235 [22] Filed: May 20, 1970 I [211 Appl. No.1 38,998

[52] U.S.C1.. ..4/l31,4/100 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47k 11/02 [581 Field of Search ..4/131,99,100; 110/9 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,251,070 5/1966 Blankenship ...4/13l 3,115,643 12/1963 Whitney ..4/100 3,239,847 3/1966 Parri ..4/100 x 3,524,204 8/1970 Rusnok ..4/1o0 1,327,262 1/1920 Wygodsky 1,335,380 3/1920 Littlefield 1,709,083 4/1929 Littlefield 3,024,469 3/1962 Lewis Ct a1 ..4/99

Primary Exa minerHenry K. Artis Attorney-Walter J. Jagmin 57 ABSTRACT A waterless urinal comprised of a bowl having a drain which opens into an insulated electric incinerator having a pan in the bottom thereof and switch means actuated by use of the urinal for activating the heater of the urinal for a period of time.

2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEUMARZI I972 SHEET 1 UF 2 FIG.

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FIG. 3

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FIG. 5

FIG. 4

P w NM T N N M V7 L B E W A B 4 T S w w R v/ E B 9 3 0 4/ 37V o 38 J24 5 F ICE 7 ATTORNEY AUTOMATIC INCINERATING URINAL This invention relates to waterless urinals and has reference to improvements in the construction and operation shown and described in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,l69,497 and 3,297,858.

The circuit in the referred to prior construction requires the user to close a momentary switch manually to initiate the in cineration cycle. Thus, if the user, either through ignorance or indifference, does not close the switch then waste will accumulate and an unpleasant odor will result. Additional neglect could cause the pan of the incinerator to overflow.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an electric incinerator urinal wherein the heating element of the incinerator is automatically actuated when the urinal is used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a waterless urinal having an automatic incineration cycle which will operate only when urine, or vapor from urine, contacts and closes the switch means of the electrical system.

Further objects are to provide an electric waterless urinal which will not cause unpleasant odors and one which is not likely to overflow.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa waterless urinal according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a waterless urinal showing a preferred form of the invention wherein the automatic switch includes an electrically isolated tubular section in the drain which completes the circuit when urine, an electrolyte, passes therethrough.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the drain tube assembly illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a broken vertical sectional view ofa modified form of the invention wherein the urine contacts exposed wires near the bottom of the bowl instead of the isolated tubular section as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but has to do with activating the heating element by change in electrical resistance as the result of cooling a heated wire when flowing urine thereover or nearby.

FIG. 6 is a wiring diagram generally applicable to the forms of the invention shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and specifically applicable to the form of the invention shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is part of a wiring diagram showing switch means for use in connection with the forms of the invention shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and FIG. 4 instead of the Wheatstone bridge, FIG. 6, used in connection with the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5.

In all forms of the invention shown there is a casing 10 having an enclosed compartment 11 in the lower portion thereof and having an upstanding bowl 12, open on one side, above the compartment. The bowl 12 has a downwardly sloping bottom 13 of inverted pyramid shape forming the top of the compartment 11, and has a drain tube assembly 14 therebeneath. The lower end of the drain tube assembly opens into an insulated enclosed combustion chamber 15. The combustion chamber 15 is electrically heated by a heating element 16 spaced from the chamber walls. There is an insulated removable waste receiving pan 17 in the bottom of the chamber 15 which is accessible through a door 18 in the front of the compartment 11. A vent pipe 19 having a blower B therein is con nected to the top of the combustion chamber 15 and is arranged to exhaust combustion gases and odors.

The drain tube assembly 14 includes a metal isolated tubular center section 20 in alignment with but spaced from the lower end of a metal tube 21 which depends from the bowl bottom 13. Similarly, the lower end of the isolated section 20 is spaced from the upper end of a metal tube 22 which opens into the top of the combustion chamber 15. The isolated section 20 is supported in its described spaced relation with the tubes 21 and 22 by sleeves 23 and 24 of dielectric material such as rubber. Radial openings 25 in the center portion of isolated tubular section 20 communicate with an annular chamber 26 defined by a short metal tube 27 around and spaced from the openings in the isolated section. The short metal tube 27 is supported by a body 28 of dielectric material therearound, the upper and lower ends of which engage the isolated section 20 inwardly of the ends thereof. The upper and lower metal tubes 21 and 22 are grounded by lines 29 and 30. The isolated section 20 and the metal tube 27 are conductors and will hereinafter be referred to in the description of operation.

The form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4 has two closely spaced electrically charged wire conductors 31 and 32 across the bowl bottom 13 and a wire screen 33 thereabove. Insulators 35 in the bowl l3 prevent the conductors 31 and 32 from shorting. The screen 33 is grounded by a line 34. Urine in contact with the conductors 31 and 32 completes a circuit to a relay, hereinafter referred to. Not shown, it is apparent that one conductor 31 and the grounded screen 33 could be employed to complete a circuit.

The form of the invention shown in FIG. 5 operates by reason of a change in electrical resistance caused by urine flowing across a heated conductor. This form of the invention will also operate by reason of the cooling effect of the vaporization of urine even though the latter is not in direct contact with the conductor. Like FIG. 4, this form of the invention has a grounded wire screen 33 across the bowl 13. A heated wire conductor resistor R,, is positioned beneath the wire screen 33 and is supported by insulators 35 in the same manner as illustrated in FIG. 4.

The wiring diagram illustrated in FIG. 6 is substantially the same as shown and described in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,169,497 and 3,297,858, but differs, primarily, in that a Wheatstone bridge 36 is employed instead of a momentary switch. See FIG. 7 of the present disclosure for an example of a momentary switch 45 which is used to represent the switch means of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

In FIG. 6, contacts 37, 38 connect opposite ends of the heating element 16 of the urinal with a source of power. The circuit making such connection includes the Wheatstone bridge 36 connected with the second said contact 38. The coil 39 ofa double pole holding relay 40 is also connected with the contacts 37 and 38 and which connection includes the bridge 36. One of the contacts 41 of the relay 40 is connected in series with thermostats 42, 43 which are connected with the same end of the heater 16 as the second source contact 38.

The second contact 44 of the relay 40 is positioned, on the one hand, for contact with a circuit parallel with the heater 16 and includes the Blower B. On the other hand, the second contact 44 of the relay 40 is positioned for contact with a normally open thermostat 46 connected between the blower B and the second said source contact 38 through the relay contact 44. One of two normally closed thermostats 42 opens at a higher temperature than the other 43 and thus serves as a safety switch, for example, in the event the relay contact 41 should weld. When the bridge 36 is imbalanced it activates the heater 16 and at the same time energizes the coil 39 of the holding relay 40. The contact 41 of the relay 40 continues to supply current to the heater 16 after the bridge 36 is balanced again. At the same time the relay contact 44 completes the circuit to the blower B. Sustained temperature from the heater 16 causes one of the normally closed thermostats 42 to open and which action releases the relay 40, but in the meantime the normally open thermostat 46 has closed and, through the relay contact 44, the current is supplied to the blower B after the heater 16 is deactivated. When the normally open thermostat 46 cools, that contact opens and cuts off current to the blower B.

The Wheatstone bridge 36 has three resistors R R and R of equal valve and the conductor R,, has the same value unless cooled by urine or urine vapor, in which case the resistance of the latter decreases and causes a condition of imbalance in the bridge. The second source contact 38 is connected with point a between R,, and R point b between R,, and R is connected with one end of the relay coil 39 and point 0 between R and R is connected with the remaining end of the coil. The point d between R and R is connected with the first source contact 37 and the relay coil 39 is interposed between points 12 and c so as to actuate the relay 40 when an imbalance occurs. After the urine or vapor vacates the bowl 13. resistance R,, heats again until its value approximates R and removes the voltage across the relay coil 39. This is substantially the equivalent of a momentary switch. In order to hold the relay 40 for a period of time afterthe bridge 36 becomes balanced, a dropping resistor R is provided between the relay coil 39 and the heating element 16. The value of the resistor R is such that the voltage across the relay coil 39 is substantially equal to the voltage from the imbalance of the bridge 36. Thus, the relay 40 maintains its activated position until the thermostat 42 opens by reason of heat from the heating element 16, which operation interrupts the power to the relay coil 39. The blower B operates so long as the relay 40 is closed.

FIG. 7 is'like FIG. 6 except the bridge 36 is eliminated and switch means 45 is substituted therefor. Of course, the dropping resistor R, is also eliminated.

ln FIGS. 2 and 3, when the urinal is used, urine completes the circuit to the relay coil 39 by contacting the isolated section 20 and the metal tube 27 upon entering the chamber 26 through the openings 25. Heat from the heating element 16 soon evaporates the urine in the chamber 26.

The operation of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 4 is substantially the same as the one in FIGS. 2 and 3 and has been described hereinbefore.

What is claimed is:

1. An incinerating urinal including: a bowl; a combustion chamber beneath said bowl; drain means connecting said chamber with said bowl whereby liquid deposited in the bowl immediately drains into said chamber; an electric heating element inside said chamber; an input circuit of electric current; and control means for said heating element including a pair of conductors disposed inside the bowl above said drain means and means responsive to the reduction of electric resistance between said conductors upon the introduction of urine into said bowl for connecting said heating element across said input circuit.

2. The urinal of claim 1, and grounded screen means in said bowl above said conductors, any liquid being deposited in said bowl first passing through said screen before reaching said conductors. 

1. An incinerating urinal including: a bowl; a combustion chamber beneath said bowl; drain means connecting said chamber with said bowl whereby liquid deposited in the bowl immediately drains into said chamber; an electric heating element inside said chamber; an input circuit of electric current; and control means for said heating element including a pair of conductors disposed inside the bowl above said drain means and means responsive to the reduction of electric resistance between said conductors upon the introduction of urine into said bowl for connecting said heating element across said input circuit.
 2. The urinal of claim 1, and grounded screen means in said bowl above said conductors, any liquid being deposited in said bowl first passing through said screen before reaching said conductors. 